Clinical analyzer having a variable cycle time and throughput

Abstract

A clinical analyzer having the capability to operate at both a higher and lower throughput, depending upon the assay load demand experienced by the hospital or laboratory, so that analyzer throughput most closely matches assay demand.

1. A clinical analyzer having the capability to operate at either of two different assay throughputs, said analyzer comprising:
 a carousel supporting a plurality of sample tubes; 
 a reaction cuvette transport system capable of transporting sample aspirated from said sample tubes to a number of assay devices; 
 a controller programmed to move the reaction cuvette transport system at first and second cycle times, the first and second cycle times characterized by having either a shorter dwell time or a longer dwell time between rotations of the cuvette transport system, respectively; and 
 a sampling probe arm mechanically extendible between a shorter arm length when the reaction cuvette transport system is moved at the first cycle time having the shorter dwell time and a longer arm length when the reaction cuvette transport system is moved at the second cycle time having the longer dwell time so that the sampling probe arm is capable of dispensing sample aspirated from said sample tubes into reaction cuvettes carried by said cuvette transport system at two different locations on the cuvette transport system. 
 
     
     
       2. The clinical analyzer of  claim 1 , wherein the shorter and longer dwell times differ by about a multiple factor of two (2). 
     
     
       3. The clinical analyzer of  claim 1  further comprising a Laboratory Automation System (LAS) comprising a tube carrier transported by a conveyor, and a pipettor for removing sample aliquots from a liquid sample within said LAS and transferring the sample aliquot to a sample carousel within said analyzer. 
     
     
       4. The clinical analyzer of  claim 1  further comprising a reagent inventory carousel and an automated reagent supply system adapted for automatically removing reagent cartridges from the reagent carousel and for automatically adding reagent cartridges into the reagent carousel. 
     
     
       5. The clinical analyzer of  claim 1  further comprising a photometric detector, a luminescence detector, and an electrochemical measuring station.